


The Musical Red String of Fate

by Podopeng



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, But also The Sweetest, Choi Yeonjun is a Flirt, Cinderella Elements, Family Issues, Hueningkai is whipped for Kang Taehyun, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Beomjun, In fact all his hyungs are whipped for Hueningkai, M/M, Min Yoongi is whipped for Hueningkai, Music Major Hueningkai, Strangers to Lovers, but not really?, who isnt whipped for hueningkai tho?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:02:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26320843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Podopeng/pseuds/Podopeng
Summary: Hueningkai never really cursed at life, even if he learned how unfair it was at a very early age. That's just the way the world worked....But if he makes a fool out of himself in front of the beautiful boy with the big doe eyes one more time, he just might think about it.A sort-of, not really, Cinderella AU
Relationships: Huening Kai/Kang Taehyun
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

The café’s door chimes rang softly, and Kai could feel himself melting already because there he is again. The beautiful boy with those big beautiful eyes. 

Like always, he went straight to a table just a few feet from the counter, while his usual companion, Beomgyu, as Kai had come to learn from reading his name on their coffee cups so many times, went to queue up.

It was a bittersweet feeling knowing his friend’s name rather than his, but Kai would be damned if Yeonjun, who always had cashier duty when partnered with Kai ( _it was a long story involving giving free drinks to a lot of people with sob stories to share_ ), would get to talk to him before he did.

Kai knows better than to delude himself into thinking of the possible reasons why doe-eyes chose to always sit so close to the counter instead of literally anywhere else in the café. After all, seeing him close by already makes him happy and that’s good enough for Kai. 

“You’re staring again~” Yeonjun singsongs as Kai absentmindedly hands a customer what looks like her third cup of iced americano. Sitting at the counter beside them, Soobin, their best friend, snorts indelicately, his eyes still glued to his mobile game.

“I’m not.” Kai sputters, calling out another customer while ignoring his hyungs, who he could feel are staring at him incredulously.

“I just happen to look in that general direction from time to time” Kai clarifies while gesturing frantically toward the direction.

He stops immediately when he realizes his mistake, his poker-face almost breaking from the embarrassment. He steals a glance at the table and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees Doe-Eyes busy tapping away on his phone.

Yeonjun snickers before turning to smile at the customer in front of the cashier.

It was Beomgyu, looking more attractive with his new dye job. A silver-gray which only accentuated his features in a way that he’s sure that people he bumped into at the street would break their necks doing a double-take. Honestly, both he and the doe-eyed boy, with their always perfectly styled hair, their gorgeous proportions, and trendy clothes, looked out-of-place for the quaint cafe. Kind of like big shiny splotches of color in a canvas of different shades of brown.

Then again, so did Yeonjun hyung, who looked equally the supermodel as they did. And who is currently having the time of his life making poor Beomgyu flustered.

“Beomgyu? So that’s a B like beautiful, amirite?” Yeonjun chuckles lowly, in what Kai can only assume is supposed to be sultry, while scribbling Beomgyu’s name on the cups.

Because of who Yeonjun is as a person, he decides to take it up a notch and make a show out of it. 

He leans slightly towards the counter in such a way that accentuates his muscles, then delivers the killing blow or, as the whole university has called it, the Yeonjun killer smile. 

“Right?” Yeonjun repeats, one side of his lips curling, emphasizing the (fake) lip ring he had on. If the president of Yeonjun’s fan club were here, he’d had that image glued onto every surface of the quad by tomorrow morning.

“Y-yes,” Beomgyu manages weakly, his face turning a deep red. A critical hit.

Kai doesn’t blame him though. Nobody is safe from the killer smile, not even Soobin, who of course won’t admit it. Only Kai was immune to the whole Yeonjun effect. He and Yeonjun were too alike, too much like brothers, to have that kind of effect on each other.

That’s why he could only take so much of it before he interrupts, grabbing the cups from Yeonjun as soon as he finishes scribbling the heart on what he can only assume is Beomgyu’s.

And then, because of who Kai is as a person, he makes a face at his hyung and immediately dashes back to his area before Yeonjun could say anything else. 

A laugh, most likely Beomgyu’s, punctuates the air, alleviating the tension from earlier.

Although he finds his hyung cringey at times, he does wish to have that same level of self-esteem.

Unlike him, Yeonjun hyung was cool, confident, fashionable. Even Soobin hyung who seems sloppy at first has a charismatic aura around him. He’s also the type who doesn’t care about clothes like Kai, but still happens to look effortlessly put-together.

If he were as good-looking and put-together as them would he have the confidence to approach Doe-eyes? Doe-eyes...goddamn those eyes. He found everything about him extremely attractive but his big doe eyes were Kai's favorite part about him. The way his eyes would sparkle when he laugh, the way they would widen in surprise and the way they would glint in the light as he stares-

“Fuck” Kai quickly ducks his head behind the espresso machine. His hands immediately busy as he finishes up more drinks to make up for the total lameness he displayed earlier.

"You," He looks over to see Soobin shaking his head disapprovingly, a fork still caked in frosting, pointed at his direction."- are so damn obvious,”

“ _You are so damn obvious_ ,” Kai mimics back.

“By the way Kai," Soobin starts, his mouth stuffed with more cake, pointedly ignoring Kai's continued efforts in mimicking him. "You _ARE_ going to the open mic this weekend right?”

“Damn!" Yeonjun whoops before bowing apologetically at the startled older woman at the front of the cashier. He quickly punches the order and turns back to look at Kai, "Are we going to finally witness a Huening Kai live performance again?”

Kai sighs, taking the cups from Yeonjun quickly to assuage the miffed _Karen_ from earlier. “I don’t know hyung, I’ll have to check with the boss if I can get a night off”

Soobin shakes his head, “You’re working too hard, PengPeng.” 

Kai shudders visibly at the nickname, making both his hyungs laugh.

Honestly, Kai had been wanting to go since Soobin and Yeonjun had been planning it. Only, that would mean taking a leave from his job as a late-night DJ at their college radio station. Something he couldn’t afford to do.

“Use your charm,” Yeonjun suggests, nudging his side.

“You know he’d say yes right away. With or without my ‘charm’” Kai air quotes, “I just…”

“-Want to help out Yoongi hyung and your family as much as you can,” Soobin finishes for him.

Kai smiles sheepishly.

His boss, Min Yoongi, was a senior from the music department. Around campus, he was known as The Genius, since he already started producing for popular musicians since his second year of college. With all his songs becoming instant hits on the music charts.

To Kai, he became a mentor and a really close friend, so he knows first-hand just how overworked his hyung is (“ _I haven’t slept since 1993”)._ That’s mainly why he volunteered for the graveyard shift.

Besides...his load this semester was lighter than others so really, he has no excuse…

Yeonjun sighs, “Kai-”

"One iced americano and iced caramel macchiato for Beomgyu!” Kai singsongs loudly just as a group of students enter the cafe.

He feels Yeonjun still staring at him as if wanting to say something more before he turns back to face the queue of customers.

Kai cheerfully gives the drinks to an even more chipper Beomgyu, noticing the way the silver-haired boy sneaks a peek at the cashier. Following his gaze, he sees Yeonjun noticing the sudden attention on him ( _seriously, the guy must be some kind of superhero)_ and winks at the guy.

Another critical hit.

If only…

Kai glances at Beomgyu’s table and he sees Doe-eyes staring at him. Directly. At. Him. With a small kind smile on his face.

Just like that, Kai’s day was made brighter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Kai wishes phones never existed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW // Bar scene but not really
> 
> No one really drinks here but there are mentions of getting drunk as a form of a joke. I just wanted to put this warning here in case anyone is triggered by things like this.

There is a dull but persistent ache at the back of Kai’s head. No amount of massaging or sleep could get rid of it, forcing Kai to wake up. Again. 

The stress of juggling two jobs while being a full-time student must have finally caught up to him. The only saving grace of waking up early was that he was always welcome to pass by the college radio station. The trip there granted him some semblance of peace too, a rare occurrence for someone like him.

No one, save for early morning joggers, was around. The grass was shiny from morning dew, still untouched by the university gardeners who were probably just waking up. Sometimes, if the light hit just right, they looked like tiny fairies gathering together and enjoying the peaceful moment before everyone woke up.

Back home whenever he’d wake up this early, he’d catch his mom still awake and toiling away, preparing for her classes which mostly consist of students who don’t even listen.

It was a topic he had brought up with his mom during one of his more emotional nights. But of course, his mother, being the chill woman that she is, merely shrugged. 

“That’s how students generally are no? I’m just glad they at least find me a little bit interesting.”  
And they do. In fact, they all love her. Even if they didn’t listen or pay attention in class.

I mean who wouldn’t? His mother is the most amazing and hardworking person he knows. She works as a public school teacher on the weekdays then as an online tutor on the weekends, not to mention being a full-time mom above all that. 

Kai doesn’t know how she does it, I mean here he was exhausted with just two jobs (three, if being a student counts). 

He never even heard his mother complain either. She just simply kept going.

His dad on the other hand...was lovely, for lack of a better word. He was always supportive but also far away, even before the divorce.

Later when he remarried, he did try to get all his kids, the new ones and the old ones, to get along. But there was still too much hurt on both sides and so eventually, he stopped trying. The financial support along with that stopped too.

Raising three kids on a teacher’s salary was no joke. Even with her part-time, his mother struggled with making ends meet. So Kai and his older sister took it upon themselves to take on part-time jobs. His younger sister, still too young to apply for jobs, tried her best not to ask for money for things she wants to buy on a whim.

Their mother was absolutely furious when she found out, only relenting when her children convinced her that it was only so they wouldn’t keep asking money for non-essentials.

“It’s for make-up, mom,” his sisters would say while he would make an elaborate lie about high-quality egg tarts. Safe to say, his sisters never let go of how much he sucked at lying.

Although, when he and his noona would quietly slip in cash for the bills, his mother pretended not to notice and that was that. Money never became a huge issue as it once was. 

Soon Kai had come face-to-face with the looming fear for of every high school senior. Or otherwise known as college applications season. Kai however, wasn't fazed. His grades were above-average and he was already set on what he wanted to take. Music production.

Inspired by his older sister who had gotten a scholarship. Kai decided to go ahead and get himself a scholarship too. After all, a degree in music production was not cheap.

He will never forget the day he received the news. That day, the mail came earlier than expected. Not being mentally prepared for it, he asked his younger sister to open it for him.

“Hurry up!” His noona cried, having enough of their sister’s theatrics and her brother’s dramatics.

Their sister turns to check that their mother’s back is turned before sticking her tongue out at her siblings. 

“Oh my god,” Their youngest gasps, finally ripping open the envelope.

“What, what does it say? Is it good?” Kai tries to reach for the letter but hesitates when his little sister looks at him, tears threatening to fall down her face.

“Oppa, you got it.”

Just like a switch, the whole Jeong household erupted in screams and cheers. It was the first time that he saw his mother jump around.

His noona pretended to be miffed about how there was more fanfare towards Kai’s scholarship than hers, but threw the act immediately when she read the letter herself, joining their mother and their youngest in jumping around the house.

Then the call happened.

Apparently, it was a mix-up. The slot was supposed to go to someone else. 

Just like that, Kai felt his world crashing down. 

He remembered how hard it was to breathe while listening to the lady on the other end. Her voice was soft and she seemed to genuinely sympathize with him, talking calmly as she recommended him to work for the college radio to get a 25% scholarship. 

“Although it isn’t the full 100%, it would still help alleviate some of that load while helping you gain firsthand experience of working for a radio station-”

“But I’m applying for the Music Production degree,” Kai manages. His head, still spinning from the whiplash of events.

“Yes yes.” She sighed, “It’s just such a shame that the Music Production degree has the least amount of slots. The degree isn’t the most sought for after all - “

His mom grabbed the phone before the lady could finish. She wasn’t yelling but she might as well be with how cold her tone was.

  
  


Kai gave up right away.

His mother did not.

“Kai, you’re my son and not my retirement plan.” She had pulled him close, like how she would when Kai had those moments, “I’m supposed to care for you and not expect you to take care of yourself. Besides you never asked me for anything else except for an unhealthy amount of egg tarts.”

“You’re forgetting the piano, mom.” Kai deadpans.

“Which you share with your sisters,” His mother counters.

So without a second thought, Kai’s mother broke the bank and paid for the whole year.

It broke Kai. He wasn’t supposed to be the burden, he was supposed to lighten her load.

But his mother did not want to hear any of his protests and so, once again, that was that.

  
  
  


His university life started without a hitch, a contrast to the painful and stressful process of trying to get in. The university, as a form of apology, provided him accommodations, a single room all to himself. He even made new friends, Soobin and Yeonjun, who have decided to make it their goal in life to stick to his side. A treasure that he didn’t have growing up.

But of course, Kai was reminded of how Life liked making sure he knew how truly unfair it was when he came face-to-face with Ken. 

Arriving 15 minutes late to the College FM DJ orientation, unaffected by the glares from the seniors, especially one unamused Min Yoongi, he strutted in the middle of the room and plopping down right next to Kai. Much to the latter’s dismay. 

Kai’s initial dislike was cemented further when Ken turned around to face him, or the whole auditorium rather, and began immediately rambling on about himself. 

In just 5 minutes, he had learned more about Ken than he would have liked. From his background of being the son of a CEO ( _Yes, my dad both owns the juice brand and the energy drink_.) to meeting famous people to bagging all the limited edition equipment.

“-I even got a scholarship,” Ken snorts as if it was the funniest thing in the world, “Obviously, I don’t need it but my old man thinks that it would look good on my resume.”

Kai must have been staring too much because he finds Ken looking at him quizzically, “What?”

“You got a scholarship and now you’re here?” Kai could feel something squeeze his chest, like tendrils wrapping around his heart. The image of his mother’s face being lit by a 5-year old laptop at 5 AM suddenly pops in his head.

“Yeah?” Ken replies, confused.

“You also don’t need the 25% financial assistance too,” Kai notes quietly. His breath, short and fast, he can slowly feel himself having trouble breathing. The small tendrils from earlier almost completely wrapped around his heart. 

“And?” Ken bristles, snapping Kai out of his trance.

“Nothing sorry,” Kai manages as he bolts out of his seat, running straight towards the bathroom where he remained till the end of the break. When he came back, he made sure to sit as far away as Ken as possible.

It was the first time he looked at someone with so much hatred. It was scary how consuming it can be.

Yes, Ken was a prick but he wasn’t evil. Kai knew that. He knew that he was just born into a better social standing, and so he was afforded this tactless behavior without the consequences.

But that doesn’t mean he should like him either.

Kai also knew better than to focus on that, too. Not when he has his friends, and now because of the radio station, Yoongi hyung.

So even though life sucked, it sucked less because of the people he chose to stay in his life. 

  
.....  
  


“You look far to chipper for 5 AM” Yoongi drawls as Kai enters the studio. “Can’t sleep?”

“And you still look alive for someone who stayed up till 5 AM,” Kai retorts happily, handing Yoongi a canned coffee he bought from the vending machine outside. 

He watches his hyung take his first sip, pondering what to say next. Sharing his feelings isn’t really something he masters in.

“But yes, sleep hasn’t been the easiest lately,” 

Yoongi raises an eyebrow, prompting him to continue.

“I mean how could I sleep when our lovely Yoongi hyung is alone in this cold and ugly studio.” Kai cries out in his most mournful voice, putting a hand over his heart. His act breaking when he dodges a rolled-up music sheet swatted in his direction.

“Did you get to finish the track?” Kai says instead, changing the topic effectively.

Yoongi looks at him for a moment, as if wanting to say something more, before turning back towards his laptop. “Yeah, but I might need your vocals again for the gui-don’t make that face.”

“Hyuuung” Kai whines, slumping over the chair, “It’s not that I don’t want to help but...I don’t think International Superstar Jeon Jungkook would like to listen to some freshman’s voice”

“What are you talking about, he likes it.”

“STOP!” Kai gasps, clamping a hand over his mouth.

Yoongi shrugs nonchalantly, the corner of his mouth tilting upward. “Your voice is really good, Kai. Jungkook says it makes it easier to learn the melody.”

Kai lies down, setting the office chair to horizontal, “I cannot believe THE Jeon Jungkook likes my voice. Mom, I think I made it.”

“You’re not even close, kid.”

“Stop ruining it.” Kai shushes him.

“Speaking of voice, your friends...” Yoongi trails off.

Kai winces at the tone. He slowly uprights the chair to face him. 

Soobin hyung and Yeonjun hyung have been known to abuse his position as DJ. Nothing bad really, they just like to put a toe or two out of line. “What did they do this time?”

“They mentioned they were holding an open mic?”

“Yeah,” Kai smiles, relieved that this request didn’t involve another self-promotion...or love confession or anything involving the radio, really. “They’ve been planning this thing for weeks. It’s the first time they’re throwing a party without the seniors’ help so they’ve been kind of on edge recently.”

Yoongi twiddles with his fingers. Yoongi twiddling with his fingers always makes him anxious. “Are you going?”  
“Uhm.” Trust his hyungs to take it upon themselves to ask permission for him behind his back.  
“Kai.”

“I was going to ask you but-”

Yoongi levels him with a suspicious glare. “Were you really?”

Kai stays silent.

“I can ask someone else to make the shift, it’s fine.”

“I-” Yoongi shoots him a look, “Thank you hyung..really.”

“Jesus, you’re seriously too nice for your own good. You can ask for things you know.” Yoongi chuckles as he ruffles Kai’s hair.  
“Seokjin’s here to take over,” Yoongi says as the mentioned senior enters the studio, shouting a bright _‘good morning’_ their way. “So let’s go record that guide for International Superstar Jeon Jungkook.”

  
  
  


.....

It’s been five minutes since he arrived at the front of the bar, yet he still hasn’t moved an inch towards the door. The guitar strap was already biting into his shoulder in an uncomfortable way. But the thought of being in a room full of people and then _performing_ in front of them keeps going around in his head, preventing him from moving any closer.

After several more back-and-forths, Kai finally takes a tentative step towards the door when a giant blur slams the door open and barrels towards him.

“Kaaaaaiii!” Soobin cries, loud enough to be heard from Mars, enveloping him in the classic Soobin bear hug. “You made it!”

“Yes. Please. Put me. Down.” As sweet as Soobin is, he truly doesn’t know how strong he is.

“Oh sorry,” Soobin apologizes unconvincingly before guiding him inside with an arm wrapped around Kai’s shoulders. “I have to go up on stage in a bit, so just head on over to Yeonjun hyung so you can reserve a slot when you wanna go up.”  
“Is that how open mics go? I thought they were usually a volunteer kind of thing.”

“Well, we kind of reserved a spot just for you so…”

Kai levels him with a look of suspicion.

“Take it this way, you don’t have to wait for the right moment to raise your hand, in front of all these people mind you, then make your way over to the stage while trying not to trip on your own two feet then-”

“I get it, I get it” Kai grumbles, “It’s not like you’d think I would chicken out or something.”

“Well, you said it, not me,” Soobin notes cheerfully, dodging a shove from Kai as he makes his way on stage, immediately transforming to Mr. Perfect Emcee.

Looking around the place, Kai can’t help but marvel at how his hyungs were able to transform the dingy bar to what looks like its former glory decorated with a few up-to-date pop culture references.

He couldn’t look around much longer as the place started to fill up, even more than their previous events which were all organized by their seniors. Kai takes a mental note to mention this to his hyungs later on.

His hyungs, despite being troublemakers, worked harder than anyone. Almost as hard as his mom. Not only were they overachievers but, despite being sophomores, also recently became officers for one of the biggest student organizations in their campus, an organization for aspiring musicians. 

Kai, being one, had been begged to join the org during to which he had always refused. After all, he was already juggling enough responsibilities than he could handle. His hyungs then made it their mission to recruit him until they eventually became close and let it go. Or so he hopes.

  
  


A tackle from behind forces the guitar to slap his back. He winces as he hears the sound of his guitar bouncing against the walls of its case.

“Why must you always choose violence?” Kai laments as he struggles against Yeonjun’s embrace. Unlike Soobin, this hyung knew his strength but didn’t bother to reign it in. “Why are you acting like we’ve been separated for years, we just saw each other yesterday,” 

“I’m just so happy you came! Let your hyung be happy! I mean, we weren’t sure if our double puppy eyes would work again, we thought we exhausted its power after the last time.” Yeonjun gripes.

Kai rolls his eyes. So that’s what they did. “Of course it works, Yoongi hyung is a big softie,”

Kai finally frees himself. He ignores the pout on Yeonjun's face as he gestures at the place, “You guys did awesome, by the way,”

“All it took was a little elbow grease,” Yeonjun shrugs, appeased by the comment.  
“You mean two weeks of crying and arguing with Soobin hyung,” 

“Pretty much,” Yeonjun shrugs again before pulling him towards the DJ booth, “So when do you want to go up?”

It turns out people who didn’t want to volunteer in the middle of the program could reserve a timeslot. Kai didn’t want to sing too early, and he had work tomorrow so he didn’t want it to be too late either. So he decided to go on just a bit before midnight. Enough time to sing one song before booking it. 

To his surprise, the open mic was way more fun than he thought it would be. The org’s parties were always fun but it was the first time he didn’t mind the number of people. Usually, he’d be in over his head by now. Sure, it helps that he could get to sit beside Yeonjun in the DJ booth but watching people do what they love on stage gave him courage too.

  
  


“Before I call on one of our main acts of the night,” Soobin winks towards his way and he had never contemplated murder as seriously as right now. “Would anyone want to volunteer?”

Kai almost chokes on his grape-ade when a familiar silver-haired male walks up the stage, waving energetically. “Me! Me! Me!” 

“Well, you’re already up here, so give it up for Beomgyu!” Soobin announces as he raises one of Beomgyu’s arms up in the arm.

“‘Sup guys! I’m Beomgyu and I’m here to bless your ears with my rap skills.” He throws a peace sign up. His cheerful disposition immediately garnering him cheers from the audience, and a particularly louder one from Yeonjun.

"A rap! A first tonight!" Soobin cries. His exaggerated ‘emcee’ reaction seems to boost Beomgyu's confidence even further as he begins pumping his arms in the air. 

Despite the fanfare, Kai couldn’t concentrate on Beomgyu, who was now spitting out surprisingly good bars. He was too busy looking around for the performer’s usual companion.

He takes a sharp intake of breath when his eyes land on a familiar figure. He was surrounded by people as expected. Also...with a new dye job. Cherry red.

“He’s here??” Kai hisses at Yeonjun. His eyes darting back and forth between cherry-red and his hyung.  
“Who? Oh! Yeah! I invited them over,” Yeonjun replies casually, his eyes still glued to the performer on stage.

“I think I’m gonna be sick”

“Stop it.” Yeonjun turns to look at him, his hyung mode on. “You’ll do great. But bro...”

“Yeah?”

“You gotta tone down the staring. It’s super obvious.”

His head snaps to look back at Cherry-red who was now looking at him. He tilts his head in a way that makes Kai’s head spin. Hot _and_ adorable? God truly has favorites.

Before Kai could respond, Soobin's voice cuts above the noise and gets his attention.

“Thank you Beomgyu for that surprisingly good performance-”

Beomgyu poses in front of the stage, garnering him even louder cheers. Kai also wants to thank him for being one of the probable reasons behind the dye job.

“Now for one of our main acts, drumroll please,” The audience immediately starts to drumming on their tables. Soobin clears his throat before continuing in an overly exaggerated tone, “From the shores of Hawaii to the Seoul Cityscape.” Soobin has always been described as chill and nonchalant but he does enjoy his theatrics.

“Here’s Huening Kai! Fun fact, Kai is also a DJ for college FM. The mastermind behind late-night jams, a show dedicated to all those stay up which is basically all of us-”

Cheers of agreement erupt from the audience. 

“- And also the owner of the most angelic voice we are lucky to witness tonight, without further ado, here’s my lovely little brother Huening Kai!”

Yeonjun hollers as he pushes Kai towards the stage where Soobin takes over and shoves him.

_Oh my god._ He mouths to Soobin who just waves him dismissively.

“Hi guys,” He laughs nervously. A chorus of hello-s and hi-s greet him back. “I’m Kai and I’m here to sing In My Blood by Shawn Mendes.”

He freezes. From the middle of the room, he watches as Cherry-Red moves to sit right in front of him. The stage lights making his big eyes sparkle brighter than ever and Kai wanted nothing but to stare at them the whole night, He turns to look at Soobin and Yeonjun who were watching with self-satisfied smirks. 

He’ll deal with them later..for now, he focuses on guitar and strums the first notes. Immediately, he feels himself relax.

_Help me, it's like the walls are caving in_

Music always helped him relax. It allowed him to let go of all the pain even if just for a little while. It was also with music that he was first able to connect with people. 

_Sometimes I feel like giving up_

As he continues on, his mind is suddenly flooded with images. Images of his mom’s face being lit by a 5-year old laptop at 3 AM, of his sister working hard to get him this very guitar. He almost chokes as he remembers the image of his little sister holding back from asking to buy something she wanted for her birthday. 

_But I just can't_

_It isn't in my blood_

  
  


Then more memories start appearing. Memories of Soobin and Yeonjun bringing him to the beach to scream his resentment of the world away, of Yoongi giving him his first-ever synthesizer. Of his mom and siblings, giving him a brand new laptop.

_It isn't in my blood_

He plucks the last few strings, then he’s done.

Kai opens his eyes, not realizing he had closed them, to find everyone looking at him with bated breath. 

“Uh, thank you.” He laughs nervously, breaking the tense atmosphere. Cheers erupt from the crowd shouting for an encore to which he declined. It was a shame that he didn’t have anything else prepared. 

“See you around. Thank you again,” Kai timidly apologizes as he makes a beeline towards the DJ booth. There, he finds Yeonjun hyung who had his own tears in his eyes. 

“I’m going to hide for the next three years,” Kai mumbles as he bows to a few people who hold up their drinks to him.

“I told you that you’d do amazing,” Yeonjun says quietly, his voice full of emotion. He points at their blue-haired friend, already on stage, whose lips were a terse line from the effort to keep himself from sobbing. “Soobin obviously thinks so too.”

Kai laughs out loud, the kind of laugh that is loud and infectious and cuts through the noise. Soobin obviously hears as he glares at him for a second before proceeding to sing praises about Kai to the audience.

The program continues on and Kai finds himself looking for Cherry-red, who seemed to have disappeared after his performance. 

Instead, Kai spots Beomgyu heading towards the booth with his eyes glued to Yeonjun. He quickly moves away and heads towards the bar. He wasn’t keen on witnessing whatever thing they have going on. The incidents at the cafe were enough.

He settles at the end of the bar with the least amount of people, ignoring the look he gets from the bartender when he orders another glass of grape soda. Haters goin’ hate.

“You were really great up there.” 

It takes every ounce of self-restraint not to run away because Cherry-Red-Doe-Eyes apple of his eye is actually talking to him. Alas, like a dork, Kai chokes on his drink.

“Thank you.” Kai manages between coughs.

“You alright?”

“Yeah, just.” Kai gestures wildly at his throat, “Trying to breathe,”

“Taehyun.”

“Huh?” Kai says distractedly.

“My name.”

Oh my god. “Oh my god...did I say that out loud? Sorry, I’m Kai.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Yeah, not like he was front and center awhile ago, “Sorry, I’m just not used to uhh people”

“No, it’s cute”

“Uhhh,” If he could kick himself, he would. He’s just too busy trying not to look like a fucking nerd.

“I didn’t know you were Late Night Jams too,” Taehyun smile is sweet and Kai again resists the urge to run. He doesn’t know how to deal with so many emotions. The big L-word being one of them. “That show has been a constant buddy during all-nighters. It makes me happy that the DJ turns out to be a great guy too.”

“Great?” Kai hopes he really means it, “After tonight, don’t you think that I might be the most uncool lamiest lame person you’ve ever met”

He watches the sides of Taehyun’s mouth quirk upwards, “Lamiest lame person?”

“Exhibit A”

“You call that lame, I call that cute.” Taehyun shrugs coolly as he takes a sip from his drink.

“What?” Kai sputters, “You keep calling me cute but you’re definitely 1 billion times cuter.”

“Oh am I?”

The world can just swallow him whole at this point.

“I’m drunk,” He supplies.

“Kai, you’ve been drinking grape juice the whole night.”

“...off the atmosphere?” 

Taehyun doubles over and Kai thanks his previous life because he might have saved a whole nation to get the chance to not only experience Taehyun laughing but BE the reason behind it.

Then he realizes something, “The whole night?”

Then Kai witnesses another amazing thing, Taehyun blushing, “Yeah I-I was kinda watching you the whole night.”

“You were?” 

“Maybe,” Taehyun shrugs. Maybe, there is a god.

“Sorry, that sounded creepy. You’re just really cute.” Taehyun mumbles quietly. Taehyun was already back to his cool demeanor but Kai notices the slight redness on his ears.

“If you really were watching the whole time, then you would know that I’ve been drinking grape-ade and not grape juice,”

“You’re cute,” Taehyun responds instead.

“I-This wasn’t the answer I was expecting but I- uh thank you,” If this keeps up, Kai might have to go to a doctor with all the palpitations he was experiencing, “You’re cuter though,” Kai adds.

“Competitive much?” Taehyun laughs as he moves closer, enough for Kai to feel the other’s warmth.

“We both know that when it comes to visuals you have no competition,” Kai tells him, the proximity giving him the courage he didn’t know he had. But also, he probably really is drunk off the atmosphere.

“Oh god, stop,” Taehyun hides behind his hands, “Enough cringe for tonight. We’ve both established how cute we both are.”

“Alright but-”

“No!” Taehyun giggles as he clamps his hand over Kai’s mouth. “Since we’re both cut-”

A shrill ring cuts above the noise, earning him a glare from the people around him. 

Kai grumbles as he fishes his phone out of his pocket, missing the fond smile on the other’s face. His face falls even further when he sees who’s calling.

“Ken, what’s up?” he tries not to make his disappointment evident in his voice. 

“Dude, I need you to go and take your shift back.”

  
“Wha-”

“Sunbae asked me to take your shift tonight but something came up. I have this gig I need to go to.”

“But I’m out right now,” Why did Ken agree to take the shift in the first place anyway?

“Well, since you’re already out just make your way over here then,” Ken replies snippily. 

“Ken-”

“It’s a gig, Kai. I don’t think you would understand because you’ve never had one but these are _very_ important. Like how this radio position is important to your scholarship.”

  
It was funny really, how another phone call reminded Kai that happiness was short-lived. 

“Okay, I’ll be there in a few.” Kai finally says after a few moments.

“Cool. Hurry” Ken says before hanging up.

“Gotta bounce?” Taehyun asks, concern painted on those beautiful eyes of his.

“Yeah,” Kai tries to smile but he, himself, could feel how strained it was. He extends his hand out to Taehyun who grasps it immediately, “But it was really cool to meet you Taehyun.”

“Was cooler meeting you,” Taehyun smirks, squeezing his hand one last time. He’s about to say something before being interrupted again by incessant ringing. Kai rejects this time. 

Maybe he should just never own a phone.

He smiles sheepishly at Taehyun one last time before hurrying over to the DJ booth where his hyungs and Beomgyu were hanging out.

“Thanks for letting me sing, hyungs,”

“You’re going already?” Yeonjun asks, his spine already straight as if ready to go on attack mode, “I thought Yoongi hyung gave you the ok?”

“Yeah, but my replacement couldn’t make it. Something came up.” Kai chuckles, hoping it would sound as casual as he hoped.

Soobin frowns at him. “Is it that Park Ken guy?”

“Park Ken?” Beomgyu pipes up, “Oh doesn’t he-” Kai shakes his head almost imperceptibly, 

“-take the music production program too?” Beomgyu finishes, giving Kai an inquisitive look.

Yeonjun scowls at this. He opens his mouth but stops when he meets Soobin’s gaze.

“Just message us once you arrive at the studio,” Yeonjun says instead.

“And be sure to eat breakfast!” Soobin adds.

Kai rolls his eyes, “Okay thanks, dads. But also, don’t kill Ken.” 

Soobin and Yeonjun stare at him with no expressions on their faces. 

“Please” He has to make sure. There’s no telling what they would do, after all. 

“Fine,” Soobin relents.

“Okay, thank you bye!” He chirps as he hurriedly hugs all three of them, including a surprised but happy Beomgyu.

By the entrance, he turns to look back one more time and sees Taehyun still by the bar, watching him. He waves him quick goodbye before heading out into the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Out of topic but thank you for all the kind comments from my previous work! I'm sorry I couldn't reply to all of them right now because recently communicating has been really hard for me (I have social anx*ty) 
> 
> Back to The Musical Red String of Fate, I'm planning to write out this out as a more fleshed out Tyunning fic <3 I really hope all of you will like it
> 
> P.S. will be adding more tags once I edit this again when I upload the next chapter. Till then, I hope you enjooooy!~ Also I made a twitter, it's empty for now but go follow me on @podopeng if you want to O 3 O
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/159981404@N06/50312196962/in/album-72157715867134782/)


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